


Best Medicine

by Kerkerian



Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Aftermath, Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Episode: s08e06 Mohala I Ka Wai Ka Maka O Ka Pua (Unfolded by Water are the Faces of the Flowers), First Time (sort of), Friends to Lovers, M/M, Missing Scenes, Steve Needs a Hug, divergence from canon, mcdanno, non-graphic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-17
Updated: 2018-03-17
Packaged: 2019-04-03 15:42:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,459
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13999317
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kerkerian/pseuds/Kerkerian
Summary: After the events of the day, Steve can't stop thinking.





	Best Medicine

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't own Five-0.

 

That evening, Steve goes to sit on the beach behind his house, Eddie by his side. With one hand in the dog's soft fur, he looks at the moonlit ocean and contemplates the day. He had no idea how deeply worried Danny was all this time. Still is, probably. For someone who usually voices his thoughts and opinions as loudly as he does, he's been hiding his concern remarkably well. But then, so has Steve himself. Most of the time, he doesn't allow the anxiety to even surface, which albeit is more difficult at night. Junior probably suspects but never said anything about the fact that Eddie has taken to sleeping in Steve's bed recently. It didn't take long for Steve, who always considered himself a cat person, to realize that a) he doesn't mind if Eddie joins him and b) the dog provides an astonishing amount of comfort, which Steve actually needs when he can't sleep; it helps him to snuggle up with Eddie, his cheek against the velvety fur, listening to his soft snoring.

Apart from that however, he meant what he told Danny: he doesn't want to spend his days worrying about something which might or might not happen. And he does want a family nevertheless. Which is where he veered from the truth a little when he talked to Danny- he doesn't want to marry just anyone. The only person he can see spending his life with is in fact his partner, who'd probably keel over if he ever heard that. It's true though; after every date with Lynn, it became clearer to Steve that she's not what he's looking for, that no one else in the past few years has made him feel the way he feels about Danny. So here's some stress no remedy can allay because as much as Danny loves him, it's still platonic. It has to be, hasn't it? Sometimes, Steve isn't so sure about the exact nature of their mutual affection for one another, but if his feelings were reciprocated to the full extent, something would have happened by now, wouldn't it?

He's been at this point probably a thousand times, but he still doesn't have any answers. And it's getting more and more strenuous to pretend, because Danny is awesome and sweet in so many ways and Steve often finds himself just wanting to grab him and kiss him until they're blue in the face; since he can't do that, he takes refuge in their banter, but much to his chagrin, this results in often coming across harsher than he meant it to be. Which is even more frustrating because he isn't usually such a crabby person, and while a friendly banter is welcome every now and then, for instance on long, boring car rides, he really doesn't want to bicker with Danny all the time. Especially when all he really wants to do is actually snog him...

Tiredly, he rubs a hand over his face; it's hopeless, really. And if there's one thing he really hates it's to be forced to leave matters unsolved.

 

When Steve comes back in a while later, Junior is watching TV.

“Are you okay, sir?” he asks.

“Yeah.” Steve gives him a smile, but he doesn't want to go into any details. Or tell Junior that he's just realized that he won't be able to sleep because he's too high-strung and just knows that he won't get Danny out of his head.

It's not even a conscious decision but when he finds himself grabbing his keys, he knows what he's going to do.

He waves at his house guest: “I've got an errand to run.” Well. The more appropriate term probably'd be 'suicide mission'. But once Steve's resolved to do something, there is no turning back.

Junior nods; if he's curious, he doesn't let it on. He's good at keeping a neutral face.

Eddie on the other hand immediately hurries to sit down in front of the door because the keys too often mean that his newly adopted human is going to leave him alone. So he does his best to look forlorn and pitiful. Steve sighs, but then gives in; after running ahead to the truck, the dog swiftly jumps onto the passenger seat where Steve straps him in.

“I must be crazy,” Steve tells him as he turns the key in the ignition. “Which seems a fitting ending to a crazy day, don't you think?”

Eddie looks at him with his soulful eyes; he's just happy that he was allowed to come along.

 

Danny's house is nearly dark apart from one small lamp which is lit, but the front door isn't locked. When Steve peers in, he finds his partner lying on the couch, apparently asleep. Steve hesitates, briefly debating whether he should wake him; if he hasn't even heard the truck, he must be sleeping like a log. Probably has got some catching up to do, which after all is Steve's fault, so maybe he should postpone this. Eddie however wiggles between Steve's legs before his human comes to a decision and is inside the house faster than Steve can blink, immediately circling the couch; he does indeed love Danny very much, therefore the sleeping man is startled awake by a cold nose and a wet kiss: “Whoa! What the- Eddie?”

The labrador's whole body is wagging while Danny needs a moment to comprehend. He pets the dog, then cranes his neck to look at Steve: “Are you trying to give me a heart attack?”

“Sorry,” Steve manages to look contrite as he steps inside now as well and closes the door behind himself.

Danny, who has expected a snarky reply, shakes his head to get rid of the cobwebs: “What are you doing here?” he asks, obviously bemused.

Steve shrugs: “I'm your BFF, do I need a reason?”

Danny eyes him attentively now: “Alright,” he says, slowly sitting up, one hand still in Eddie's fur. “You okay?”

He was right this morning: other than Junior, he actually knows Steve very well indeed and isn't so easily deceived by him. Therefore, when Steve only shrugs again, still hovering by the door and managing to look like a lost puppy, Danny beckons him over with his good hand: “Come here, will you?”

Steve hesitates for the slightest of moments, but then he joins his partner on the couch. Danny puts his arm around him and Steve leans into him a bit, just so that he can feel how solid and marvellous and reassuring Danny is. He slides down a little and rests his head against Danny's shoulder, briefly reminiscing about that one Halloween where the situation was similar if reversed. It had not been the first time that Danny had been so close to him, but it had definitely been the first time that he desperately wanted to kiss him.

It remains silent for a while, the only sound coming from Eddie as he settles down at their feet with a contented grunt. Steve wonders if he's fallen asleep on the beach and is only dreaming this, because this here is what he wants, or at least it's a good start. For the most part, he feels safe and secure and at home. There still is the other part though which is annoyingly jittery on top of that because he still needs to talk to Danny. Regrettably, Steve isn't a coward; the problem is rather that he has no idea how to begin and then, once he's gotten going, how to proceed.

“So?” Danny however eventually says, squeezing Steve's arm ever so slightly: “Wanna talk about why you're breaking into my house at this late hour, not to mention the aforementioned attempt at a heart attack?”

Steve opens his mouth and closes it again; how can he find the right words for this?

“I dunno...” he says eventually. “All the talk about stress today made me realize...” He stops, unsure if it's really so clever to be honest with Danny. On the other hand: maybe he's already sick without knowing it. Maybe he should stop wasting any more time. However, this could well be the end of life as he knows it anyway.

“It's a dilemma,” he therefore concludes.

“What is?” Danny's voice is soft.

Steve takes a deep breath; Danny's scent is all around him, reassuring and at the same heady, as is Danny's physical proximity, so Steve decides to say what he needs to say before he's so lost in all this that he can't think straight anymore: “I think I know now what stresses me the most.”

Danny makes an approving sound: “Good. Means you can work on that, right?”

“Yes. No.”

“No?”

“I can't.”

“Steven- I know you think that the consultation was a waste of time, but-”

Briefly, Steve closes his eyes: “It's not that I don't want to , it's that I can't.”

“Why not?”

“Because... Because it's you.”

Danny freezes for a moment: “I know,” he then replies hesitantly. “The stress lady pointed it out, remember? But you don't have to worry about that, I'll just-”

“I don't mean that,” Steve says hastily because Danny sounded really crestfallen right now and a little pained as well but still wants to help him, making Steve's stomach drop because the least he wants to do is to make any of this worse and oh God Danny is so adorable that it almost physically hurts him. “And I told you that I don't want you to censor yourself or change on my behalf.”

“Then I'm not following you,” Danny says, puzzled.

Steve shakes his head, swallows and tries again: “I love you,” he murmurs and it comes out way too faint; somehow, his voice is doing funny things.

“I love you too,” Danny replies, apparently still confused.

“You don't understand.” Steve clears his throat: “I love you, Danno. I'm in love with you. Have been, in fact, for a long time.”

Danny is silent for a while, not moving at all. “Oh,” he then says, sounding uncertain: “And that stresses you?”

“Yeah.” Steve is barely audible by now. “Because you're my best friend and I can't do anything about this.”

There's silence again and Steve thinks that he's probably just destroyed the best relationship he's ever had with someone, but when he finally dares to turn his head and look at Danny, he's smiling a bit.

Which is not at all what he expected, on the contrary: he was anticipating yelling of sorts.

Danny's expression however is definitely amused: “I've got to show you something.” And with that, he gets up and disappears in the small hallway behind the living room. Steve suddenly feels bereft and doesn't know what to make of this peculiar reaction. When Danny is back only seconds later, he holds a flat pink cardboard box in his hand. He turns on another light and sits down again (as close to Steve as before, he can't but notice), handing Steve the box: “Look at this.”

Hesitantly, Steve takes it and opens it. It contains a small stack of children's drawings. The first one shows three stick figures and some kind of animal, labeled “Mom, Dano, Cody, me”. Obviously one of Gracie's earlier works. The next one shows two stick figures holding hands, labeled “Danno and uncle Steve”. Steve smiles. There are more like those, some of Grace, Rachel and Stan, some of Grace and Danny, some of Steve, Danny and Grace and another one with only the two of them. Steve looks at each one with his own soft smile because it seems like yesterday that Gracie was small enough to ride on his shoulders.

“I don't understand,” he eventually admits nevertheless.

So Danny picks out all the pictures which has Steve and him in them, then he finds one with Grace, Rachel and Stan: “Spot the difference.”

Steve looks at them with narrowed eyes until he realizes what his partner means: “We're holding hands in all of these,” he says, and his voice is rough.

“Yep,” Danny smiles. “None of the others do, though. It's just us.”

Steve is momentarily lost for words.

Danny carefully puts the pictures back into the box: “Melissa flipped when she saw these, and not in a good way.”

Oh. Steve only now realizes that he hadn't even considered that Melissa might be here. He's a little guilty to be relieved that she isn't. Coming to think of that, Danny has barely mentioned her recently.

“Why?” he asks despite his suddenly dry throat.

“Well...” Danny rubs his hands. “She caught me looking at them and immediately put two and two together.”

Steve has trouble catching up because his blood is rushing in his ears and his heart is beating madly and he's not putting anything together. Or if he does, he must be getting it wrong.

“Two and two?” he prompts Danny feebly.

“Grace has always known me very well,” Danny says softly. “And she also knows that the thing with Melissa... my heart wasn't in it.”

Past tense. Danny's _heart_. Steve's own is beating in his throat.

“Did you guys break up?” He barely gets the words out.

“Yeah. I just didn't see a future with her. I guess I kept hoping for someone else. Which she realized.”

He turns towards Steve and regards him with a curious expression- he still seems amused somehow, but he's also serious. “And all the time I didn't admit it to anyone, least of all myself, because that guy is too important to me. I didn't know how he'd react, and I didn't want to unnecessarily increase his stress. So I tried to keep it together and find another solution. _Epic_ fail.”

Steve is positively shaking by now: “Danno,” he just about manages not to stammer, “are you telling me that you're feeling the same but you didn't tell me because you weren't sure how I'd react and didn't want to cause any more stress?”

“Yeah,” Danny replies. “That's about it. Plus I didn't want to lose your friendship.”

Steve stares at him speechlessly for a few seconds before he bursts out laughing loudly, despite everything. He just can't believe it and he can't stop either, he laughs until he's breathless and his eyes are streaming. Eddie, obviously bewildered by such odd behaviour, gets up and lies down again a few feet away while Danny is laughing as well, if not as convulsive as Steve; when they finally calm down, Steve wipes his eyes with the sleeve of his shirt: “I'm sorry.”

“Don't be,” Danny says lightly, “laughing is healthy.”

“Yeah.” Steve wipes his eyes one more time, then turns towards him. They look at each other, then Danny slowly raises his good arm, cups Steve's cheek with his hand; he seems calm, but Steve can feel that he's trembling a little: “I'm glad you came,” he says very softly.

Steve leans into the touch, briefly closing his eyes: “Me too.”

Afterwards, they don't know who leaned towards the other first, but the kiss is glorious: all those wasted opportunities and unused moments, all the tension which has been building up over the years, the love and affection for one another are finding their echo in this moment which is tender and hungry all at once.

“I love you,” Danny murmurs against Steve's lips once they come up for air.

Steve brings up his hand as well, gently running his thumb over Danny's skin: “I love you more,” he replies though he is barely able to hear his own voice, he's on such an adrenaline high right now. All he knows is that he very much hopes that he isn't dreaming, that this isn't just a figment of his overactive mind. Sometimes he wakes up drenched in sweat, thinking he's still in that room with Wo Fat, and those dreams are usually so vivid that he always takes way too much time realizing it's been a dream. So Steve's hands roams Danny's skin, find the delicate shell of his ear, the soft skin of his neck, the slight stubble on his cheek in order to make sure that this is happening and he's actually here with the one person he cannot do without.

On impulse, he winds his arms around Danny, pulls him close and holds him tightly, burrowing his nose into the other's neck and inhaling deeply. Danny, who hasn't seen this coming, brings his own arms up around Steve after a moment of comprehension: “I've got you, Babe,” he murmurs as he feels a tremor running through his partner's body.

“Always got me,” Steve mutters, his breath hot and humid on Danny's skin, making him shiver ever so deliciously.

“Hm.” He turns his head and kisses Steve's cheek, his jaw, the soft skin of his throat; it doesn't take long until Steve responds, and soon, neither of them is thinking straight anymore. Stumbling and without pausing, they make their way over to Danny's bedroom, barely managing not to step on the dog.

To be with a man is very different from Steve's previous experiences even if they don't go all the way yet. It's breathtaking to be this intimate with Danny, to finally be allowed to touch and taste him, to feel his warm body against his own, pliant, marvellous.

They finally fall asleep in the small hours of the following day, still entangled, and Steve's last conscious thought is how right it feels.

 

When Steve wakes up a few hours later, Danny is still fast asleep. They've rolled away from one another during the night; Steve turns around just looks at Danny for a moment. His hair is mussed up, his lovely face relaxed; he's a sweet sight to behold. Steve sighs, happiness bubbling up in him, and gently snuggles against his partner, who nestles against him without opening his eyes; mindful of Danny's injured arm, Steve wraps his own arm around him and gently pushes one leg between Danny's, who hums sleepily but doesn't entirely wake up. They doze for another half hour or so before Steve stirs again; unable to contain his bliss, his nuzzles Danny's jaw until he turns his head towards him and kisses him back, still sleepy.

“I think we can establish one thing,” he mutters drowsily in between kisses.

“Yeah? What's that?”

“We can't call ourselves BFF anymore.”

Steve laughs softly: “Probably not.” He noses Danny's face: “You feel good, Danno,” he then murmurs.

The corners of Danny's mouth quirk upwards as he looks at Steve now: “You too, Babe. Come here.” He pulls his partner even closer and they lose themselves in the moment.

 

Their team immediately notice that something has changed about them.

“You look like a cat who's learned to use a tin opener,” Tani remarks because Steve's got an absent smile on his face. Before he can reply, she jerks her head in the direction of Danny's office: “And so does he.”

Steve wonders if he should play possum; if this was Kono, he'd simply tell her. Tani and he don't know each other that well yet; on the other hand, he was always one for honesty. So he just shrugs and grins, at which Tani grins as well: “Nice,” she says, holding out her fist for him to bump it but wisely not saying that the intervention apparently has been good for something then.

 

It does feel like walking on air. Steve finds himself humming along to even the cheesiest songs on the radio; they've never sounded more true to him. They all make sense of a sudden, which he's never realized before. But then, he's never been so breathtakingly and entirely in love before. He feels incredibly relieved and liberated, and he doesn't start every day taking an inventory of his body anymore, checking for changes. The threat is still there, and both he and Danny still worry occasionally, but Steve feels so happy and confident right now that he is feeling better on the whole.

 

“Look at them lovebirds,” Lou Grover says in an undertone to Tani two weeks later; they've just raided a cloth factory which was a front for a money laundering operation, and Steve is currently watching Danny with a goofy smile as he's booking the manager.

“It's doing them good,” Tani replies. She's been watching her bosses closely recently, and it's true: they look less careworn and more like the guys in one of the photos she's seen which depict the original Five-0 task force.

“Yeah,” Lou sighs. “Took them long enough, too, if you ask me.”

Tani pats his shoulder: “All's well that ends well, isn't that a saying?”

With one last glance at Steve, Lou nods: “True.”

 

The End

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!
> 
> I solemnly swore to myself that I wasn't going to write anything post season 7 because I'm still in denial about Grace Park and Daniel Dae Kim leaving the show over money matters; while the new cast is okay in my opinion, it's still not the same anymore. But as ever in life and despite best laid plans, the muse just wouldn't shut up, so there.


End file.
